Colonies are dome-shaped or flat. Corallites are thick-walled, circular, tending to be subplocoid. This species has calices which are very large, reaching 2 cm diameter. Because of this is easily recognised. Underwater, the polyps appear as thick rings of fleshy tissue, thick enough to completely obscure the skeleton beneath.

Similar species: While it cannot be mistaken for any other member of its genus, it is of similar size to Montastrea magnistellata and Favites flexuosa.